1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new belt construction and to a new method of making the same.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a toothed belt construction formed mainly of thermoplastic material wherein the belt construction is made by injection molding the thermoplastic material after the thermoplastic material has been heated to a temperature above its melting temperature.
It is also known to form a belt construction of uncured rubber material by disposing at least one layer of the uncured rubber material about the outer peripheral surface of a building drum that has the outer peripheral surface thereof defined by alternating teeth and grooves, and then forcing the one layer of uncured rubber material toward the drum while the temperature of the one layer of uncured rubber material is above a certain softening temperature thereof and below a vulcanizing temperature thereof so as to cause at least part of the one layer of uncured rubber material to exude into the grooves to form at least part of the plurality of teeth of the belt construction. For example, see the U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,206 to Skura, and the U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,963 to Marsh et al.
However, it is applicants' belief that it is not known that a toothed belt construction formed mainly of thermoplastic material can be formed by the method of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,206 to Skura.